Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, August 21, 1993 TAG: 9311030378
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARILYN L. CURTIS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Because of segregation, in the early 1900s through the '20s, '30s, '40s and early '50s, there were many minority businesses to serve the needs of minority citizens, who could not receive services from white businesses or professionals. As integration came along during the '60s, minority businesses slowly began to decline; some because they could not compete with white establishments, others because the owners retired or died, and some because of the lack of technical assistance. Thus, we watched as our small minority-business area, mostly located in Gainsboro, dissipated. The streets were left with boarded-up, dilapidated buildings. The word ``ghetto'' was coined, and a great part of Roanoke's history and economic contributors was lost, with only nostalgic memories remaining.
A final thrust of sadness enveloped the minority community as we watched the demise of Burrell Memorial Hospital, our once-busy, bustling medical center with well-qualified medical doctors and surgeons. This hospital had been established by Dr. Burrell to serve the needs of the minority's sick and dying patients, who could not get proper medical attention or proper inpatient hospital care at the major hospitals in the area. The early professionals at Burrell Memorial had the foresight to establish a school of nursing in the early '20s, to educate professional and dietetic staff to care for patients.
As we, the founders of Hamlar-Curtis Funeral, opened our business in 1952, there were four well-established funeral homes in the city, some of which had been serving minority citizens since pioneer days of ``undertakers.'' These firms were highly competitive and Hamlar-Curtis had to establish practices and procedures that would not only take us through the growing and developing years, but serve as a basis for us as we grew into the business world of the future. Today, it takes a CPA, insurance and legal advisers to keep us safe and capable of surviving as a member of the corporate world.
In the year 1952, as we tried to establish Hamlar-Curtis, we could not get financing from banks and financing institutions because we were minorities. Applications were not accepted because it was believed minorities knew nothing of operating a business. We had to start with very limited funds. Seven years later, in 1959, we had a fire, and our building had to be reconstructed. We searched the entire state and finally found financing from a minority-owned bank in Danville, and from the Virginia Mutual Insurance Co. in Richmond. With combined monies received from these two minority institutions, we were able to complete extended facilities, larger than the one in which we had started.
In the early 1970s, as we embarked on our final phase of a long-range construction plan for our establishment, we had proved our business viability. A local downtown bank was very happy and proud to finance us. They placed a sign on the front of the construction site, so large that passers-by thought a bank was being constructed on the premises. Incidentally, this building was dedicated on Feb. 2, 1975, by a young, fledgling senator, Lawrence Douglas Wilder.
When I started my research for this article, my mental image of the minority business community was of the old Gainsboro, which is still filled with vacant buildings (one of which has collapsed since I started writing this article). Also, I did not think that there were minority businesses and professionals in this area now.
However, as I compiled a list of businesses with the help of persons whose major work is with minorities, I was surprised to find more than 30 minority- owned businesses. Along with a Lincoln Mercury car dealer, there are a food- service and restaurant-equipment sales company, a burial-vault company, a Bible bookstore, general contractors and architects, florists, insurance companies, financial services, WTOY radio station, the Roanoke Tribune newspaper, a plumbing-and-heating company, an oil company, computer assistance and telecommunications, and janitorial services and sales. There are also beauticians, barbers, caterers and food-service groups, a first-class supper club, auto-repair shops, a bail bondsman, and services to fit just about any category that is needed.
Although we do not know the financial status of these businesses, they probably run the spectrum from high profitability to the unsuccessful. These may not be Fortune 500 businesses, but they are surviving and contributing their share to the economic community.
Along with these businesses, I found medical professionals and technicians, some of whom are not visible to the public, hidden in hospital labs, nuclear medicine and X-ray departments. There are podiatrists, an oncology radiologist, two physicalists, an internal-medicine physician, dentists and a veterinarian - all of minority races. There are many minority educators and administrators in the school system, including the new superintendent of Roanoke city schools, E. Wayne Harris. These professionals also contribute to the economy of this area, through professional licenses, taxes and assessments.
These businesses and professionals are not isolated in one area as in the past, and sometimes they are hard to locate and recognize when a poll is taken because they are scattered all over the Roanoke Valley and Southwestern Virginia area.
High schools, Virginia Western Community College and other colleges in the surrounding areas are preparing students not only for bachelor degrees, but for employment in the professional, technical and business fields. This year, another influx of graduates has entered the communities, trying to find a place for themselves and their future.
As we compete against larger cities to enhance our area for young people to return, we must provide assurance of financial assistance for them to enter the business and professional work forces. Old ideas are outworn and new events call for more planning, courage and actions. Although big business once proved more efficient than small business, it is now known that small businesses hire more than 80 percent of the work force. Southwest Virginia survives on small businesses.
With the economic crunch of today, it is more difficult than it was a decade ago for a minority business to get financial assistance, not only to get started but to survive. Government has the right to regulate all corporations under the State Corporation Commission. However, government must also provide funds for small-business development.
The Community Reinvestment Act is now being studied in the legislature, to help provide special financing for special businesses. This and other similar financing is definitely needed in the Southwest Virginia area, so that minority businesses may continue to develop and give their owners the pleasure of high profits, as well as the ability to compete with all businesses and ultimately make a greater contribution to the economic development of the Roanoke Valley, Southwestern Virginia and the commonwealth.
\ Marilyn L. Curtis of Roanoke is a funeral director and a member of the Roanoke School Board. She wrote this article for Capitol Forum.
by CNB